more than skin deep: pemphigus foliaceus

Posted by Dr. Kim Smyth
on September 30 2013Staff Veterinarian and Pet Health Writer of Petplan

Pemphigus foliaceus is a common skin disease in cats and dogs. It is autoimmune in nature, meaning that the body’s own immune system mounts an inappropriate attack against normal layers of the skin. While there are several different types of pemphigus diseases, pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is considered a superficial pemphigus, unlike other pemphigus conditions that affect deeper skin tissues.

Pemphigus foliaceus is the most common immune mediated skin disease in cats and dogs, and is characterized by skin crusts and ulcers around the eyes, ears, footpads, groin, and muzzle. Additionally, cats can have lesions around their toenails. In some cases, PF can be generalized about the entire body.

While PF is considered a superficial skin disease, the lesions it causes should not be taken lightly. Crusts and ulcers can be quite profound and painful, and the lesions are always at risk of becoming infected. Pets with uncontrolled PF deal with uncomfortable sores that may interfere with their quality of life.

While we do know that PF is immune mediated, we do not usually know the direct cause. There are some potential triggers for PF, however, including UV light exposure and some drug therapies. There do not seem to be breed dispositions in the cat, but Akitas and Chow Chows are the dog breeds that are more prone to developing PF.

While your veterinarian may have a hunch that pemphigus foliaceus is to blame for your pet’s skin lesions, the preferred way to achieve a definitive diagnosis is via skin biopsy of the lesions. Some types of pemphigus can be difficult to differentiate just by looking at the lesions, so a definitive diagnosis from a skin biopsy is important.

Treatment of PF centers on suppressing the immune system of the affected pet. We generally try to do this using steroids, but occasionally, other kinds of immunosuppressants are needed. In addition, oral and/or topical antibiotics will be needed to treat underlying infection that is present in many cases of PF.

Steroids, such as prednisone, can cause short and long term side effects. Increased water intake and increased urination (polydipsia/polyuria), and increased appetite can be frustrating side effects for owners to deal with, and long term use of steroids is associated with the development of diabetes, obesity, and Cushing’s syndrome.

Though there is the potential of side effects from the treatment of PF, it is important to remember that between forty and eighty percent of cases can be well controlled, and some patients will be able to discontinue medication once the clinical signs have abated. Owners of pets with PF will need to have an abundance of patience with the treatment, as often it can take months to achieve resolution.

All of that being said, the expense and side effects of the medications required to treat PF can be a major stress to owners who do not have pet insurance. Additionally, pets may not achieve a quality of life that is acceptable to owners. For these reasons, a diagnosis of PF may eventually lead to euthanasia for many pets, depending on the severity of the condition and the response to treatment.

If your pet is diagnosed with pemphigus foliaceus, do not despair! Just keep in mind that the treatment may be prolonged, and do your best to follow your veterinarian’s recommendations. A referral to a doctor who specializes in dermatology may be helpful, so if there is a board certified veterinary dermatologist in your area, ask your veterinarian to refer you if you are having trouble achieving resolution of the condition.

Save this page for later reference
To save pages you will need to login to your account. If you do not yet have an account please register here.
We ask for your details so you can retrieve your saved pages from a secure area.

Add a comment here

Full name*

Email address*

Comment*

Rate this page

Please validate that you are human.I am a HumanI am NOT a Human

*indicates required field

By submitting comments to this blog, you are consenting to the following rules:

1. You agree that you are fully responsible for the content that you post. You may not post content that is libelous, defamatory, obscene, abusive, that violates a third party’s right to privacy, that otherwise violates any applicable local, state, national or international law, or that is otherwise inappropriate. Furthermore, you may not post content that degrades others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual preference, disability or other classification. Language intended to intimidate or to incite violence will not be tolerated. In addition, by posting material on the blog comments, you represent that you have the legal right to reproduce, adapt, display, and distribute this material to others. Petplan will not be held responsible for posted information that may infringe on a third party’s copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights.

2. You understand and agree that Petplan may modify and republish the content of your comments. Petplan may monitor user-generated content as it chooses and reserves the right to remove, edit or otherwise alter content that it deems inappropriate for any reason. By posting you agree that your comments may be republished by Petplan online and in print.

3. You understand and agree that the blog comment areas are to be used only for non-commercial purposes. This blog prohibits any actions to solicit funds, promote commercial entities or otherwise engage in commercial activity through the blog comment function.

The information contained in this website is for illustrative purposes only and coverage under any pet insurance policy is expressly subject to the conditions, restrictions, limitations, exclusions and terms of the policy documentation issued by the insurer. Availability of this program is subject to each state’s approval and coverage may vary by state.

Petplan insurance policies are administered by Fetch Insurance Services, LLC (Fetch Insurance Agency, LLC in Michigan), d/b/a Petplan (Petplan Insurance Agency, LLC in California) and underwritten by XL Specialty Insurance Company, which carries the rating of A+ by S&P, and AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group, (rated A+ A.M. Best). Coverages may not be available in all jurisdictions. Information accurate as of November 2016.